Chapter III (15)

But the mandarin had a friend, a rich old man, who wished to marry Kong Lee, and take her far away to be the mistress of his castle. Kong Lee refused to marry this old man, and to punish her, her father shut her up in the top room of a lonely house that stood on the lake shore. From her windows she could see the lake, and she could see the willow tree that dipped its drooping branches in the smooth, still water and seemed to hang its head and weep for her. And when the Spring came on and she could hear the singing of the birds, she wished that she could go and walk about the garden where she could see the sweet blossoms that hung like a veil of pink over the peach trees. In her loneliness she wept, and wrote sad poetry, which she threw into the water.

All this time Chang grieved for her, and sent her gifts to comfort her, and when his work was done, he walked along the shore and thought of her. But one day Kong Lee caught sight of him standing on the shore, and she thought, "Chang will help me." So she took a cocoanut, and cut the shell in two and made a little boat of half of it. Then she made a little sail of fine, carved ivory, on the sail she wrote a message asking Chang to help her and threw the boat out of the window. The little skiff sailed out over the lake, then fell and splashed into the water, the wind caught the sail and the small craft sailed bravely on. Chang saw it, waded out, and caught it, read the message, and went to find Kong Lee.

Kong Lee was waiting for him, and they fled in haste, taking her box of jewels with them. The mandarin saw them, and taking a whip he hastened after them to beat them back again, for he had great fear of his friend's anger. But they were too swift for him, and reached the other side, where Chang's boat was waiting to take them to his house.

There they were married, and lived in happiness until the mandarin's wicked friend found where they were, and secretly, at night, sailed down the lake and burned the house when they were sleeping. But their loving spirits became two doves that rested in the trees and flew about the places they had loved.

And if you look at a blue china plate you will see there the house where Kong Lee was shut up, the willow tree she watched, Kong Lee and Chang running across the bridge followed by her father with his whip, the funny house-boat that carried them away to Chang's little house that almost is hidden by the trees, and at the top, the pair of doves in which the Chinese poet believed the spirits of Kong Lee and Chang still lived.

BROTHER FOX'S TAR BABY[O]

TRANSLATED BY JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS

Once upon a time Brother Fox and Brother Rabbit lived near each other in the woods. But they had to go a long way each morning to get water from a spring.

One day Brother Fox said to Brother Rabbit: "What's the use of taking a long walk every morning. Let us dig a well of our own."

"I shall no longer go to the spring," said Brother Rabbit. "From this time on I shall drink the dew from the grass and the flowers. Why should I work to dig a well?"

Brother Rabbit knew by the way Brother Fox talked that he was going to dig the well anyway.

"Just as you please," said Brother Fox. "Then I will dig the well myself. And I will drink the water all by myself."

The next morning Brother Fox began to dig a well by a big tree. He worked, and worked, and worked. Brother Rabbit was hiding in a bush near by and watching Brother Fox.

"Ha, ha, ha!" he said to himself. "How foolish Brother Fox is! I guess I shall soon have all the water I want. Ha, ha, ha!"

That night, while Brother Fox was asleep, Brother Rabbit stole quietly down to the well by the big tree, and drank and laughed, and drank and laughed.

"I guess I can have all the water I want," said Brother Rabbit. "Brother Fox was foolish to do all the work."

The next day, when Brother Fox went to get some water, he saw rabbit tracks in the mud.

"Ah, ha! Brother Rabbit," said Brother Fox to himself, "so that's the way you drink the dew from the grass and the flowers! Well, well, I think I can catch you at your trick!"

Brother Fox ran home as fast as he could and made a great big doll of wood, as big as a baby. He covered the wooden doll with black, sticky tar. Then he put a little cap on its head. At sunset, he put the tar baby out beside the well.

"I think I shall get Brother Rabbit this time," he said, as he went home laughing to himself all the way.

Soon Brother Rabbit came hopping through the bushes. He looked first this way, then that. The least noise frightened him. When he saw the tar baby, he sat up straight and peeped at it through the leaves.

"Hullo, there! Who are you?" he said at last.

The tar baby said nothing.

"Who are you, I say?" he asked in a louder tone.

The tar baby said nothing.

Then Brother Rabbit went right up close to the tar baby.

"Why don't you answer me?" he shouted.

The tar baby said nothing.

"See here!" he shouted. "Have you no tongue? Speak, or I'll hit you!"

The tar baby said nothing.

Brother Rabbit raised his right hand and--biff! his hand stuck fast.

"Here! What's this?" he cried. "Let me go, or I'll hit you again."

The tar baby said nothing.

At that--blip! he hit the tar baby with the other hand. That stuck fast, too.

"Listen to me, you rascal!" cried Brother Rabbit. "If you don't let me go, I'll kick you!"

The tar baby said nothing.

Bim! Brother Rabbit's right foot stuck fast.

"See here, you imp!" he shrieked. "If I kick you with my left foot, you'll think the world has come to an end!"

The tar baby said nothing.

Bom! the left foot stuck fast.

"Look out, now!" Brother Rabbit screamed. "Let me loose, or I'll butt you into the well with my head! Let me go, I say!"

The tar baby said nothing.

Buff! Brother Rabbit's head stuck fast.

And there was Brother Rabbit with both hands, and both feet, and his head stuck fast.

The next morning Brother Fox came out to see how the tar baby was getting along. He saw Brother Rabbit, and he laughed to himself until his sides ached.

"Hey, Brother Rabbit!" he called. "What are you doing? How do you like my tar baby? I thought you drank dew from the grass and the flowers! I have you now, Brother Rabbit, I have you now."

"Let me go, Brother Fox!" cried Brother Rabbit. "Let me go! I am your friend. Don't hurt me!"

"Friend? You are a thief," said Brother Fox. "Who wants a thief for a friend?" Then he ran quickly to his home in the woods and built a big fire.

Soon Brother Fox tore Brother Rabbit loose from the tar baby, threw him over his shoulder, and started for the fire.

"Roast rabbit is good," said Brother Fox.

"Roast me! Burn me! Anything!" said Brother Rabbit, "Only don't throw me into the brier patch."

"I've a mind to throw you into the well," said Brother Fox, as he turned and looked back.

"Drown me! Kill me! Anything! Only don't throw me into the brier patch," said Brother Rabbit. "The briers will tear my flesh and scratch my eyes out. Throw me into the fire! Throw me into the well!"

"Ah, ha, Brother Rabbit!" said Brother Fox. "So you don't like briers? Then here you go!" and he threw Brother Rabbit away over into the brier patch.

As soon as Brother Rabbit touched the ground, he sat up and laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

"Ha, ha, ha! Brother Fox!" said Brother Rabbit. "Thank you, dear Brother Fox, thank you! I was born and reared in a brier patch."

Then Brother Rabbit ran off in great glee, chuckling over the trick he had played on Brother Fox.

[O] From "Evening Tales," by Frederic Ortoli; used by permission of the publishers, Charles Scribner's Sons.

THE RABBIT AND THE PEAS

BY MRS. M. R. ALLEN

A long time ago there was a Bear that had a fine pea patch. He and his wife had to work in the field every day, so they left their little girl at home to keep house. One fine morning Br'er (which means "Brother") Rabbit came up to the house and called the little girl: "Mary, Mary, your father and mother told me to come up here and tell you to put me in the pea patch and let me have as many peas as I want." So Mary put him in, and he stayed there until nearly 12 o'clock, and then he begun calling: "Little girl, little girl, come and let me out; I'm full for this time!"

So she let him out, and he went home. At dinner when her father and mother came home and saw their pea patch they were angry, and said: "Who has been in these peas?" "Why, didn't you send Br'er Rabbit to get as many as he wanted?" said Mary. "No, I didn't; no, I didn't;" said Mr. Bear. "And the next time that rascal comes here with that sort of tale, you just keep him in there until I come home."

So the next morning Br'er Rabbit came back again, and called: "Mary, Mary, your father told me to tell you to put me in the pea patch, and let me have all the peas I want." "All right," said Mary; "come on." So she put him in and fastened him up.

As it began to grow late, Mr. Rabbit began to call: "Little girl, little girl, come and let me out!" "All right," said Mary, "when I put down my bread for supper." After a while he called again: "Little girl, little girl, come let me out!" "When I milk my cow," said Mary. When she finished milking he called again, and she said: "Wait till I turn my cow out."

By that time Mr. Bear came home and found him in his pea patch, and asked him what he was doing in there. "Your little girl told me you said I might have some peas," said Br'er Rabbit. "Well," said Mr. Bear, "I'll put you in this box until I get rested and eat my supper, then I'll show you a trick or two." So he locked him in the box and went to the house.

After a while Br'er Fox came along the road, and Br'er Rabbit called him, and Br'er Fox said: "What are you doing in there?" "They are going to have a ball here to-night and want me to play the fiddle for them, so they put me in here. I wouldn't disappoint them," said Br'er Rabbit. "But, Br'er Fox, you always could beat me playing the fiddle. Now, they offer to pay two dollars for every tune. Suppose you take my place; my wife is sick and I must go home--if I can get off."

"All right," said Mr. Fox. "I'm always willing to make money, and if you don't want to stay I will take your place."

"Well, look on top of the box and get the key. I saw Mr. Bear put it there," said Br'er Rabbit. So Br'er Fox unlocked the door, and Br'er Rabbit hopped out and locked Br'er Fox in.

So after supper they all came out, and the little girl ran up to the box and looked in, and said: "Oh, mamma! just come and see how this Rabbit has growed!"

Mr. Fox said: "I ain't no Rabbit!" "Well," said Mr. Bear, "how came you in there?" "Because Br'er Rabbit asked me to take his place, and play at your ball to-night," said Mr. Fox.

"Well, Br'er Rabbit has fooled you badly, Fox. But I will have to whip you, anyway, for letting him out. I'll help you find Br'er Rabbit." "I'll hunt him till I die, to pay him back for fooling me so," said Mr. Fox. So they all started out to find Br'er Rabbit.

And they soon came upon him, and he began to run, and all of them after him. And they got him in a tight place, and he ran up a hollow tree.

And they had to go back for their axes. So they put a Frog at the tree to watch him to keep him from getting away. After they were gone, Mr. Frog looked up and saw Br'er Rabbit.

"What's dat you chewing?" said Mr. Frog. "Tobacco," said Br'er Rabbit. "Give me some," said Mr. Frog. "Well," said Br'er Rabbit, "look up here and open your eyes and mouth wide." So he filled the Frog's eyes full of trash. And while Mr. Frog was rubbing his eyes trying to get the trash out so he could see, Br'er Rabbit ran out and got away.

When Mr. Bear and Mr. Fox got back with their axes, they asked Mr. Frog: "Whar's Mr. Rabbit?" He said: "He's in dar." They cut down the tree and didn't find him. Then they asked Mr. Frog again: "Whar's Mr. Rabbit?" "He's in dar," said Mr. Frog. So they split the tree open, and still didn't find him. And they asked Mr. Frog again, "Whar's Mr. Rabbit, I say?" "He's in dar," said Mr. Frog.

"Now, Mr. Frog," they said, "you have let Mr. Rabbit get away, and we are going to kill you in his place."

So Mr. Frog said: "Wait till I go to my praying ground, and say my prayers." So they told him he might have five minutes.

And there was a pond near by, and a log on the edge of it. So when Frog got on the log he bowed his head and said: "Ta-hoo! ta-hoo! ta-h-o-o!" Splash! and he was gone! And the Bear and Fox were outwitted again.

BR'ER RABBIT'S FISHING[P]

One day, Br'er Rabbit, and Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear, and Br'er Coon, and all the rest of them were clearing up a new piece of ground to plant some corn.

The sun got sort of hot, and Br'er Rabbit he got tired; but he didn't say so, 'cause he 'fraid the others'd call him lazy, so he kept on clearing away the rubbish and piling it up, till by-and-by he holler out that he got a thorn in his hand. Then he took and slipped off, and hunted for a cool place to rest in.

After a while Br'er Rabbit he see a well, with a bucket hanging in it.

"That looks cool," says Br'er Rabbit, says he, "and cool I 'spects it is. I'll just about get in there and take a nap," says he. And with that in he jumped.

No sooner was Br'er Rabbit in, than the bucket began to go down, and there was no wusser scared beast since the world began than this here Br'er Rabbit was _then_. He fairly shook with fright. He know where he come from, but he dunno where he going. Presently he feel the bucket hit the water, and there it sat. Br'er Rabbit he keep mighty still, 'cause he dunno what be going to happen next. He just lay there, and shook and shivered.

Now, Br'er Fox he always kep' one eye on Br'er Rabbit and, when Br'er Rabbit slipped off the new ground, Br'er Fox he sneaked after him. He knew Br'er Rabbit was after something or other, and he took and crept off to watch him. Br'er Fox see Br'er Rabbit come to the well and stop, and then he see him jump into the bucket, and then, lo and behold, he see him go down out of sight.

Br'er Fox was the most astonished fox that ever you set eyes on. He sat off there in the bushes, and he think and think, but he make no heads or tails of this kind of business. Then he says to himself, says he:

"Well, if this don't beat my times," says he, "then Joe's dead and Sal's a widder," says he. "Right down there in that well Br'er Rabbit keeps his money hid, and if it ain't that, then he's been and gone and discovered a gold mine; and if it ain't that, then I'm a-going to see what _is_ there," says he.

Br'er Fox crept up a little nigher, he did, and he listen, but he hear nothing, and he kept on getting nigher, and yet he hear nothing. By-and-by he get up close. He peep down; he see nothing, and he hear nothing.

All this while Br'er Rabbit was nearly scared out of his skin, and he 'fraid to move, 'cause the bucket might keel over and spill him out into the water.

Then old Br'er Fox holler out:

"Hallo, Br'er Rabbit! Who you visiting down there?" says he.

"Who? Me? Oh, I'm just a-fishing, Br'er Fox," says Br'er Rabbit, says he. "I just said to myself that I'd sort of surprise you all with a lot of fishes for dinner; and so here I is, and here's the fishes. I'm fishing, Br'er Fox," says Br'er Rabbit, says he.

"Is there many of 'em down there, Br'er Rabbit?" says Br'er Fox.

"Lots of 'em, Br'er Fox. Scores and scores of 'em. The water is just alive with 'em. Come down, and help me haul 'em up, Br'er Fox," says old Br'er Rabbit, says he.

"How 'm I going to get down, Br'er Rabbit?"

"Jump into the other bucket, Br'er Fox. It'll fetch you down all safe and sound."

Br'er Rabbit he talk so happy and talk so sweet, that Br'er Fox he jump into the bucket, he did, and as he went down, of course his weight pulled Br'er Rabbit up. When they passed one another half-way down, Br'er Rabbit he sing out:

"Good-by, Br'er Fox, take care of your clothes,
For this is the way the world goes;
Some goes up, and some goes down,
You'll get to the bottom all safe and soun'."

When Br'er Rabbit get out, he gallop off and tell the folks what the well belong to that Br'er Fox was down in there muddying up the drinking water, and then he gallop back to the well and holler down to Br'er Fox:

"Here comes a man with a great big gun;
When he hauls you up, you cut and run."

But in about half an hour both of them were back in the new ground, working as if they never heard of no well, 'cept that every now and then Br'er Rabbit burst out and laugh, and old Br'er Fox he'd get a spell of the dry grins.

[P] From "More Funny Stories About Br'er Rabbit," published by Stead's Publishing House, London, England, and used with their permission.

BR'ER POSSUM LOVES PEACE

One night Br'er Possum called for Br'er Coon, and they rambled forth to see how the others were getting along. Br'er Possum he ate his fill of fruit, and Br'er Coon he scooped up a lot of frogs and tadpoles. They ambled along, just as sociable as a basket of kittens, till by-and-by they heard Mr. Dog talking to himself off in the woods.

"S'pose he runs upon us, Br'er Possum, what you going to do?" says Br'er Coon.

Br'er Possum sort of laugh round the corners of his mouth.

"Oh, if he comes, Br'er Coon, I'm going to stand by you," says Br'er Possum. "What are _you_ going to do?" says he.

"Who? Me?" says Br'er Coon. "If he runs up on to me, I lay I'll give him a twist," says he.

Mr. Dog he came and he came. He didn't wait to say How-d'ye-do. He just sailed into the two of them. The very first pass he made, Br'er Possum fetched a grin from ear to ear, and keeled over as if he was dead. Then Mr. Dog he sailed into Br'er Coon, but Br'er Coon was cut out for that kind of business, and he fairly wiped up the face of the earth with Mr. Dog. When Mr. Dog got a chance to make himself scarce, he took it, and what was left of him went skaddling through the woods as if it was shot out of a gun. Br'er Coon he sort of licked his clothes into shape, and racked off, and Br'er Possum he lay as if he was dead, till by-and-by he looked up, sort of careful-like, and when he found the coast clear he scrambled up and scampered off as if something was after him.

Next time Br'er Possum met Br'er Coon, Br'er Coon refused to reply to his How-d'ye-do, and this made Br'er Possum feel mighty bad, 'cause they used to make so many excursions together.

"What makes you hold your head so high?" says Br'er Possum, says he.

"I ain't running with cowards these days," says Br'er Coon. "When I wants you, I'll send for you," says he.

Then Br'er Possum got very angry. "Who's a coward?" says he.

"You is," says Br'er Coon, "that's who. I ain't associating with them what lies down on the ground and plays dead when there's a free fight going on," says he.

Then Br'er Possum grin and laugh fit to kill hisself.

"Lor'! Br'er Coon, you don't think I done that 'cause I was afraid, does you?" says he. "Why, I were no more afraid than you is this minute. What was there to be skeered at?" says he. "I knew you'd get away with Mr. Dog if I didn't, and I just lay there watching you shake him, waiting to put in when the time came," says he.

Br'er Coon turn up his nose.

"That's a mighty likely tale," says he. "When Mr. Dog no more than touched you before you keeled over and lay there stiff," says he.

"That's just what I was going to tell you about," says Br'er Possum. "I weren't no more skeered 'n you is now, and I was going to give Mr. Dog a sample of my jaw," says he, "but I'm the most ticklish chap that ever you set eyes on, and no sooner did Mr. Dog put his nose down among my ribs than I got to laughing, and I laugh till I hadn't no more use of my limbs," says he; "and it's a mercy for Mr. Dog that I _was_ ticklish, 'cause a little more and I'd have ate him up," says he. "I don't mind fighting, Br'er Coon, any more than you does, but I'm blessed if I can stand tickling. Get me in a row where there ain't no tickling allowed, and I'm your man," says he.

And to this day Br'er Possum's bound to surrender when you touch him in the short ribs, and he'll laugh even if he knows he's going to be smashed for it.

BR'ER FOX TACKLES OLD BR'ER TARRYPIN[Q]

One day Br'er Fox struck up with Br'er Tarrypin right in the middle of the big road. Br'er Tarrypin he heard Br'er Fox coming, and he say to hisself that he'd sort of better keep one eye open; but Br'er Fox was monstrous polite, and he begin, he did, and say he hadn't seen Br'er Tarrypin this ever so long.

"Hallo, Br'er Tarrypin, where you been this long-come-short?" says Br'er Fox, says he.

"Lounging round," says Br'er Tarrypin.

"You don't look sprucy, like you did, Br'er Tarrypin," says Br'er Fox.

"Lounging round and suffering," says Br'er Tarrypin, says he.

Then the talk sort of run on like this:

"What ails you, Br'er Tarrypin? Your eye look mighty red," says Br'er Fox.

"Lor, Br'er Fox, you dunno what trouble is. _You_ ain't been lounging round and suffering," says Br'er Tarrypin, says he.

"_Both_ eyes red, and you look like you is mighty weak, Br'er Tarrypin," says Br'er Fox, says he.

"Lor, Br'er Fox, you dunno what trouble is," says Br'er Tarrypin, says he.

"What ails you now?" says Br'er Fox.

"Took a walk the other day, and Mr. Man come along and set the field on fire. Lor, Br'er Fox, you dunno what trouble is," says Br'er Tarrypin, says he.

"How you get out of the fire, Br'er Tarrypin?" says Br'er Fox.

"Sat and took it, Br'er Fox," says Br'er Tarrypin, says he, "sat and took it; and the smoke got in my eye, and the fire scorched my back," says Br'er Tarrypin, says he.

"Likewise it burn your tail off," says Br'er Fox, says he.

"Oh, no, there's my tail, Br'er Fox," says Br'er Tarrypin, and with that he uncurl his tail from under his shell, and no sooner did he do that than Br'er Fox grab at it and holler out:

"Oh, yes, Br'er Terrapin! Oh, yes! And so you's the one what lam me on the head the other day, is you? You's in with Br'er Rabbit, is you? Well, I'm going to out you."

Br'er Tarrypin he beg and he beg, but it weren't no use. Then he beg Br'er Fox not to drown him. Br'er Fox ain't making no promise. Then he beg Br'er Fox to burn him, 'cause now he used to fire. Br'er Fox he say nothing. By-and-by Br'er Fox drag Br'er Tarrypin off little ways below the spring, and he souse him under the water.

Then Br'er Tarrypin he began to holler out:

"Turn loose that stump-root and catch hold of me!"

Br'er Fox he holler back:

"I ain't got hold of no stump-root, and I is got hold of you."

"Catch hold of me, I'm a-drowning--I'm a-drowning; turn loose that stump-root and catch hold of me!"

Sure enough, Br'er Fox turned loose Br'er Tarrypin's tail, and Br'er Tarrypin he went down to the bottom!

Was Br'er Tarrypin drowned, then? Not a bit of it. Is _you_ drowned when your mammy tucks you up in bed?

[Q] From "More Funny Stories About Br'er Rabbit," published by Stead's Publishing House, London, England, and used with their permission.

HOW COUSIN WILDCAT SERVED BR'ER FOX[R]

Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox had both been paying calls one evening at the same house. They sat there, and after a while Br'er Rabbit looked out, and said:

"Now then, folks and friends, I must say good-by. Cloud coming up yonder, and before we know it, the rain'll be a-pouring."

Then Br'er Fox he up and says he 'spects _he_ better be getting on, 'cause he doesn't want to get his Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes wet. So they set out.

While they were going down the big road, talking at one another, Br'er Fox he took and stopped, and said:

"Look here, Br'er Rabbit, look here! If my eyes don't deceive, here's the tracks where Mr. Dog's been along, and they're quite fresh!"

Br'er Rabbit he sidle up and look. Then he say:

"That there track ain't never fit Mr. Dog's foot. What's more," says he, "I been acquainted with him what made that track too long ago to talk about."

"Br'er Rabbit, please, sir, tell me his name."

Br'er Rabbit he laughs, as if he was making light of something or other.

"If I makes no mistakes, Br'er Fox, the poor creature what made that track is Cousin Wildcat; no more and no less."

"How big is he, Br'er Rabbit?"

"Just about your heft, Br'er Fox." Then Br'er Rabbit make like talking to himself. "Tut, tut, tut! To be sure, to be sure! Many and many's the times I see my old grand-daddy kick and cuff Cousin Wildcat. If you want some fun, Br'er Fox, now's the time."

Br'er Fox he up and axed how he's going to have any fun.

Br'er Rabbit he say: "Easy enough. Just go and tackle old Cousin Wildcat, and lam him round."

Br'er Fox he sorter scratch his ear, and say: "Eh, eh, Br'er Rabbit, I'm 'fraid. His track too much like Mr. Dog."

Br'er Rabbit he sat flat down in the road, and holler, and laugh. "Shoo, Br'er Fox!" says he, "who'd ha' thought you so skeery? Just come and look at these here tracks. Is there any sign of claw anywheres?"

Br'er Fox was obliged to agree that there weren't no sign of claw. Br'er Rabbit say: "Well, then, if he ain't got no claw, how's he going to hurt you, Br'er Fox?"

Br'er Fox took another good look at the track, and then he and Br'er Rabbit put out to follow it up.

They kept on and on, till by-and-by they ran up with the creature. Br'er Rabbit he holler out mighty biggity: "Hallo, there! what you doing?"

The creature look round, but he ain't saying nothing. Br'er Rabbit say: "Oh, you needn't look so sulky! We'll make you talk before we've done with you! Come, now, what you doing there?"

The creature rub hisself against a tree just as you see these here house cats rub against a chair, but he ain't saying nothing. Br'er Rabbit holler: "What you come bothering us for when we ain't been bothering you? You thinks I don't know who you is, but I does. I'll let you know I got a better man here than what my grand-daddy been, and I'll be bound he'll make you talk."

The creature leaned harder against the tree, and sort of ruffled up his bristles, but he ain't saying nothing. Br'er Rabbit he say: "Go up, Br'er Fox, and if he refuse to speak, slap him down. That's the way my grand-daddy did. If he dares to run, I'll just whirl in and catch him."

Br'er Fox he look sort of dubious, but he start toward the creature. Old Cousin Wildcat walk all round the tree rubbing hisself, but he ain't saying nothing. Br'er Fox he went up a little nigher. Cousin Wildcat stop rubbing on the tree, and sat upon his behind legs with his front paws in the air, and balances hisself by leaning against the tree, but he ain't saying nothing.

Br'er Rabbit he squall out: "Oh, you needn't put up your hands, and try and beg off. That's the way you fooled my old grand-daddy; but you can't fool me. All your sitting up and begging ain't going to help you. Hit him, Br'er Fox! If he runs, I'll catch him!"

Br'er Fox he sort of took heart. He sidled up toward him, and just as he was making ready to slap him, old Cousin Wildcat drew back, and fetched Br'er Fox a wipe across the stomach.

That there Cousin Wildcat fetched him a wipe across the stomach, and you might have heard him squall for miles and miles. Little more and the creature would have torn Br'er Fox in two. Once the creature made a pass at him, Br'er Rabbit knew what was going to happen, yet all the same he took and hollered:

"Hit him again, Br'er Fox! hit him again! I'm a-backing you, Br'er Fox! Hit him again!"

While Br'er Rabbit was going on in this way, Br'er Fox was squatting on the ground, holding his stomach with both hands and moaning:

"I'm ruined, Br'er Rabbit! I'm ruined! Fetch the doctor! I'm teetotally ruined!"

About this time Cousin Wildcat took and went for a walk. Br'er Rabbit make like he astonished that Br'er Fox is hurted. He took and examine the place, and he up and say: "It look to me, Br'er Fox, that that owdacious villain took and struck you with a reaping hook."

With that Br'er Rabbit lit out for home, and when he got out of sight he took and shook his hands, just like a cat when she gets the water on her foots. Then he laugh and laugh till he can laugh no more.

[R] From "More Funny Stories About Br'er Rabbit," published by Stead's Publishing House, London, England, and used with their permission.

PLANTATION STORIES

BY GRACE MACGOWAN COOKE

I.--MRS. PRAIRIE-DOG'S BOARDERS

Texas is a near-by land to the dwellers in the Southern States. Many of the poorer white people go there to mend their fortunes; and not a few of them come back from its plains, homesick for the mountains, and with these fortunes unmended. Daddy Laban, the half-breed, son of an Indian father and a negro mother, who sometimes visited Broadlands plantation, had been a wanderer; and his travels had carried him as far afield as the plains of southwestern Texas. The Randolph children liked, almost better than any others, the stories he brought home from these extensive travels.

"De prairie-dog a mighty cur'ous somebody," he began one day, when they asked him for a tale. "Hit lives in de ground, more samer dan a ground-hog. But dey ain't come out for wood nor water; an' some folks thinks dey goes plumb down to de springs what feeds wells. I has knowed dem what say dey go fur enough down to find a place to warm dey hands--but dat ain't de tale I'm tellin'.

"A long time ago, dey was a prairie-dog what was left a widder, an' she had a big fambly to keep up. 'Oh, landy!' she say to dem dat come to visit her in her 'fliction, 'what I gwine do to feed my chillen?'

"De most o' de varmints tell Miz. Prairie-Dog dat de onliest way for her to git along was to keep boarders. 'You got a good home, an' you is a good manager,' dey say; 'you bound to do well wid a boardin'-house.'

"Well, Miz. Prairie-Dog done sent out de runners to run, de fliers to fly, de crawlers to crawl, an' tell each an' every dat she sot up a boardin'-house. She say she got room for one crawler and one flier, an' dat she could take in a whole passel o' runners.

"Well, now you knows a flier 's a bird--or hit mought be a bat. Ef you was lookin' for little folks, hit mought be a butterfly. Miz. Prairie-Dog ain't find no fliers what wants to live un'neath de ground. But crawlers--bugs an' worms an' sich-like--dey mostly does live un'neath de ground, anyhow, an' de fust pusson what come seekin' house-room with Miz. Prairie-Dog was Brother Rattlesnake.

"'I dest been flooded out o' my own house,' Mr. Rattlesnake say; 'an' I like to look at your rooms an' see ef dey suits me.'

"'I show you de rooms,' Miz. Prairie-Dog tell 'im. 'I bound you gwine like 'em. I got room for one crawler, an' you could be him; but--'

"Miz. Prairie-Dog look at her chillen. She ain't say no more--dest look at dem prairie-dog gals an' boys, an' say no more.

"Mr. Rattlesnake ain't like bein' called a crawler so very well; but he looks at dem rooms, an' 'low he'll take 'em. Miz. Prairie-Dog got somethin' on her mind, an' 'fore de snake git away dat somethin' come out. 'I's shore an' certain dat you an' me can git along,' she say, 'ef--ef--ef you vow an' promish not to bite my chillen. I'll have yo' meals reg'lar, so dat you won't be tempted.'

"Old Mr. Rattlesnake' powerful high-tempered--yas, law, he sho' a mighty quick somebody on de trigger. Zip! he go off, dest like dat--zip! Br-r-r! 'Tempted!' he hiss at de prairie-dog woman. He look at dem prairie-dog boys an' gals what been makin' mud cakes all mornin' (an' dest about as dirty as you-all is after you do de same). 'Tempted,' he say. 'I should hope not.'

"For, mind you, Brother Rattlesnake is a genterman, an' belongs to de quality. He feels hisself a heap too biggity to bite prairie-dogs. So _dat_ turned out all right.

"De next what come to Miz. Prairie-Dog was a flier."

"A bird?" asked Patricia Randolph.

"Yes, little mistis," returned the old Indian. "One dese-hyer little, round, brown squinch-owls, what allers quakes an' quivers in dey speech an' walk. 'I gits so dizzy--izzy--wizzy! up in de top o' de trees,' de little brown owl say, as she swivel an' shake. 'An' I wanted to git me a home down on de ground, so dat I could be sure, an' double sure, dat I wouldn't fall. But dey is dem dat says ef I was down on de ground I might fall down a hole. Dat make me want to live in yo' house. Hit's down in de ground, ain't hit? Ef I git down in yo' house dey hain't no place for me to fall off of, an' fall down to, is dey?' she ax.

"Miz. Prairie-Dog been in de way o' fallin' down-stairs all her life; dat de onliest way she ever go inter her house--she fling up her hands an' laugh as you pass her by, and she drap back in de hole. But she tell de little brown owl dat dey ain't no place you could fall ef you go to de bottom eend o' her house. So, what wid a flier an' a crawler, an' de oldest prairie-dog boy workin' out, she manage to make tongue and buckle meet. I's went by a many a prairie-dog hole an' seen de owl an' de rattlesnake what boards wid Miz. Prairie-Dog. Ef you was to go to Texas you'd see de same. But nobody in dat neck o' woods ever knowed how dese folks come to live in one house."

"Who told _you_, Daddy Laban?" asked Pate Randolph.

"My Injun gran'mammy," returned the old man. "She told me a many a tale, when I lived wid my daddy's people on de Cherokee Res'vation. Sometime I gwine tell you 'bout de little fawn what her daddy ketched for her when she 's a little gal. But run home now, honey chillens, or yo' mammy done think Daddy Laban stole you an' carried you plumb away."

II.--SONNY BUNNY RABBIT'S GRANNY

Of all the animal stories which America, the nurse-girl, told to the children of Broadlands plantation, they liked best those about Sonny Bunny Rabbit.

"You listen now, Marse Pate an' Miss Patty an' my baby child, an' I gwine tell you de best tale yit, 'bout de rabbit," she said, one lazy summer afternoon when they were tired of playing marbles with china-berries.

"You see, de fox he mighty hongry all de time for rabbit meat; yit, at de same time, he 'fraid to buck up 'gainst a old rabbit, an' he always pesterin' after de young ones.

"Sonny Bunny Rabbit' granny was sick, an' Sonny Bunny Rabbit' mammy want to send her a mess o' sallet. She put it in a poke, an' hang de poke round de little rabbit boy's neck.

"'Now, my son,' she says, 'you tote dis sallet to yo' granny, an' don't stop to play wid none o' dey critters in de Big Woods.'

"'Yassum, mammy,' say Sonny Bunny Rabbit.

"'Don't you pass de time o' day wid no foxes,' say Mammy Rabbit.

"'Yassum, mammy,' say Sonny Bunny Rabbit.

"Dest as he was passin' some thick chinkapin bushes, up hop a big red fox an' told him howdy.

"'Howdy,' say Sonny Bunny Rabbit. He ain't study 'bout what his mammy tell him now. He 'bleege to stop an' make a miration at bein' noticed by sech a fine pusson as Mr. Fox. 'Hit's a fine day--an' mighty growin' weather, Mr. Fox.'

"'Hit am dat,' say de fox. 'Yaas, suh, hit sho'ly am dat. An' whar you puttin' out for, ef I mought ax?' he say, mighty slick an' easy.

"Now right dar," said America, impressively, "am whar dat little rabbit boy fergit his teachin'. He act like he ain't know nothin'--an ain't know dat right good. 'Stead o' sayin', 'I's gwine whar I's gwine--an' dat's whar I's gwine,' he answer right back: 'Dest 'cross de hill, suh. Won't you walk wid me, suh? Proud to have yo' company, suh.'

"'An' who-all is you gwine see on t' other side de hill?' ax Mr. Fox.

"'My granny,' answer Sonny Bunny Rabbit. 'I totin' dis sallet to her.'

"'Is yo' granny big?' ax de fox. 'Is yo' granny old?' he say. 'Is yo' granny mighty pore? Is yo' granny tough?' An' he ain't been nigh so slick an' sof' an' easy any mo' by dis time--he gittin' mighty hongry an' greedy.

"Right den an dere Sonny Bunny Rabbit wake up. Yaas, law! He come to he senses. He know mighty well an' good dat a pusson de size o' Mr. Fox ain't got no reason to ax ef he granny tough, less'n he want to git he teef in her. By dat he recomember what his mammy done told him. He look all 'bout. He ain't see no he'p nowhars. Den hit come in Sonny Bunny Rabbit' mind dat de boys on de farm done sot a trap down by de pastur' fence. Ef he kin git Mr. Fox to jump inter dat trap, his life done save.

"'Oh, my granny mighty big,' he say; 'but dat 's 'ca'se she so fat she cain't run. She hain't so mighty old, but she sleep all de time; an' I ain't know is she tough or not--you dest better come on an' find out,' he holler. Den he start off on er long, keen jump.

"Sonny Bunny Rabbit run as hard as he could. De fox run after, most nippin' his heels. Sonny Bunny Rabbit run by de place whar de fox-trap done sot, an' all kivered wid leaves an' trash, an' dar he le'p high in the air--an' over it. Mr. Fox ain't know dey ary trap in de grass; an', blam! he stuck he foot squar' in it!

"'Oh-ow-ow! Hi-hi-hi! Hi-yi! Yi-yi-yi!' bark de fox. 'Come back hyer, you rabbit trash, an' he'p me out o' dis trouble!' he holler.

"'Dat ain't no trouble,' say Sonny Bunny Rabbit, jumping high in de grass. 'Dat my granny, what I done told you 'bout. Ain't I say she so fat she cain't run? She dest love company so powerful well, dat I 'spect she holdin' on to you to hear you talk.'

"An' de fox talk," America giggled, as she looked about on her small audience.

ROBIN REDBREAST

There was once a hunter who had only one son, and when his son grew up he said to him: "My son, I am growing old, and you must hunt for me."

"Very well, father," said his son, and he took his father's bow and arrows and went out into the woods. But he was a dreamy boy, and forgot what he had come for, and spent the morning wondering at the beautiful flowers, and trees, and mosses, and hills, and valleys that he saw. When he saw a bird on a tree, he forgot that he had come to shoot it, and lay listening to its song; and when he saw a deer come down to drink at the stream he put down his bow and arrows and began to talk to the deer in the deer's own language. At last he saw that the sun was setting. Then he looked round for his bow and arrows, and they were gone!

When he got home to the wigwam, his father met him at the door and said: "My son, you have had a long day's hunting. Have you killed so much that you had to leave it in the woods? Let us go and fetch it together."

The young man looked very much ashamed of himself, and said: "Father, I forgot all about the hunting. The woods, and the sky, and the flowers, and the birds, and the beasts were so interesting that I forgot all about what you had sent me to do."

His father was in a terrible rage with him, and in the morning he sent him out again, with new bow and arrows, saying: "Take care that you don't forget this time."

The son went along saying to himself: "I mustn't forget, I mustn't forget, I mustn't forget." But as soon as a bird flew across the path he forgot all about what his father had said, and called to the bird in the bird's own language, and the bird came and sat on the tree above him, and sang to him so beautifully all day that the young man sat as if he was dreaming till sunset.

"Oh dear!" said the young man, "what shall I do? My father will kill me if I go back without anything to eat."

"Never mind," said the bird; "if he kills you, we shall give you feathers and paint, and you can fly away and be a bird like ourselves."

When the young man reached the village he scarcely dared to go near his father's wigwam; but his father saw him coming, and ran to meet him, calling out in a hurry; "What have you brought? What have you brought?"

"I have brought nothing, father; nothing at all," said the boy.

His father was angrier than ever, and in the morning he said: "Come with me. No more bow and arrows for you, and not a bite to eat, till I have taught you to be a hunter like any other good Indian." So he took his son into the middle of the forest, and there built for him a little wigwam, with no door, only a little hole in the side.

"There!" said his father, when the young man was inside, and the wigwam was laced up tight. "When you have lived and fasted in this wigwam for twelve days, the spirit of a hunter will come into you."

Every day the young man's father came to see him, and every day the young man begged for food, till at last, on the tenth day, he could only beg in a whisper.

"No!" said his father. "In two days more you can both hunt and eat."

On the eleventh day, when the father came and spoke to his son, he got no answer. Looking through the hole, he saw the lad lying as if he was dead on the ground; but when he called out aloud his son awoke, and whispered: "Father, bring me food! Give me some food!"

"No," said his father. "You have only one day more to wait. To-morrow you will hunt and eat." And he went away home to the village.

On the twelfth day the father came loaded with meal and meat. As he came near to the wigwam he heard a curious chirping sound, and when he looked through the hole in the wigwam he saw his son standing up inside, and painting his breast with bright red paint.

"What are you doing, my son? Come and eat! Here is meal and meat for you. Come and eat and hunt like a good Indian."

But the son could only reply in a chirping little voice: "It is too late, father. You have killed me at last, and now I am becoming a bird." And as he spoke he turned into the o-pe-che--the robin redbreast--and flew out of the hole and away to join the other birds; but he never flew very far from where men live.

The cruel father set out to go back to his wigwam; but he could never find the village again, and after he had wandered about a long time he lay down in the forest and died; and soon afterward the redbreast found him, and buried him under a heap of dry leaves. Every year after that, when the time of the hunter's fast came round, the redbreast perched on his father's empty wigwam and sang the song of the dead.

THE THREE WISHES

Once upon a time there were three brothers who set out on a visit to Goose-cap, the wise one, who said that any one might come and see him, and get a wish--just one wish, no more. The three brothers were seven years on the journey, climbing mountains that seemed to have no top, and scrambling through forests full of thorn-bushes, and wading through swamps where the mosquitoes tried to eat them up, and sailing down rivers where the rapids broke up their rafts and nearly drowned them.

At the end of seven years they heard Goose-cap's dogs barking, so then they knew they were on the right road; and they went on for three months more, and the barking got a little louder every day, till at last they came to the edge of the great lake. Then Goose-cap saw them, and sailed over in his big stone canoe and took them to his island.

You never saw such a beautiful island as that was, it was so green and warm and bright; and Goose-cap feasted his visitors for three days and nights, with meats and fruits that they had never tasted before. Then he said: "Tell me what you want, and why you have taken so much trouble to find me."

The youngest brother said: "I want to be always amusing, so that no one can listen to me without laughing."

Then the great wise one stuck his finger in the ground, and pulled up a root of the laughing-plant and said: "When you have eaten this you will be the funniest man in the tribe, and people will laugh as soon as you open your lips. But see that you don't eat it till you get home."

The youngest brother thanked him, and hurried away; and going home was so easy that it only took seven days instead of seven years. Yet the young man was so impatient to try his wish that on the sixth morning he ate the root. All of a sudden he felt so light-headed that he began to dance and shout with fun: and the ducks that he was going to shoot for breakfast flew away laughing into the reeds over the river, and the deer ran away laughing into the woods, and he got nothing to eat all day.

Next morning he came to the village where he lived, and he wanted to tell his friends how hungry he was; but at the first word he spoke they all burst out laughing, and as he went on they laughed louder and louder--it seemed so funny, though they couldn't hear a word he said, they made so much noise themselves. Then they got to laughing so hard that they rolled over and over on the ground, and squeezed their sides, and cried with laughing, till they had to run away into their houses and shut their doors, or they would have been killed with laughing. He called to them to come out and give him something to eat, but as soon as they heard him they began to laugh again; and at last they shouted that if he didn't go away they would kill him. So he went away into the woods and lived by himself; and whenever he wanted to hunt he had to tie a strap over his mouth, or the mock-bird would hear him and begin to laugh, and all the other birds and beasts would hear the mock-bird and laugh and run away.

The second brother said to Goose-cap; "I want to be the greatest of hunters without the trouble of hunting. Why should I go after the animals if I could make them come to me?"

Goose-cap knew why; still, he gave the man a little flute, saying: "Be sure you don't use it till after you have got home."

Then the hunter set off; but on the sixth day he was getting so near home that he said to himself: "I'm sure Goose-cap couldn't hear me now if I blew the flute _very_ gently, just to try it." So he pulled out the flute and breathed into it as gently as ever he could--but as soon as his lips touched it the flute whistled so long and loud that all the beasts in the country heard it and came rushing from north and south and east and west to see what the matter was. The deer got there first, and when they saw it was a man with bow and arrows they tried to run away again; but they couldn't, for the bears were close behind, all round, and pushed and pushed till the deer were all jammed up together and the man was squeezed to death in the middle of them.

The eldest brother, when the other two had set off for home, said to Goose-cap: "Give me great wisdom, so that I can marry the Mohawk chief's daughter without killing her father or getting killed myself." You see, the eldest brother was an Algonquin, and the Mohawks always hated the Algonquins.

Goose-cap stooped down on the shore and picked up a hard clam-shell; and he ground it and ground it, all that day and all the next night, till he had made a beautiful wampum bead of it. "Hang this round your neck by a thread of flax," he said, "and go and do whatever the chief asks you."